Utility cane for handicapped persons



May 27, 1958 L. JORDAN UTILITY CANE FOR HANDICAPPED PERSONS Filed Feb.14, 1955 United States Patent G UTILITY CANE FOR HANDICAPPED PERSONS LeeJordan, Dayton, Ohio Application February 14, 1955, Serial No. 487,885

Claims. (Cl. 135-47) This invention relates to a new and novel highlyimproved utility cane for handicapped persons who either are not able tobend over for themselves or who have limited movement capacity or whoare confined to a wheel chair so that they require full time attendanceto their needs. The utility cane which constitutes the subjectinvention, moreover, incorporates a highly simplified and easily andquickly operable grasping mechanism of an improved nature. The graspingor pickup mechanism provided has a such a high degree of efiiciency andsuch a wide capacity as to range of operation as to promote a distinctadvance in the art of aids to handicapped persons. And it definitely isan aid to their morale since it helps them to help themselves.

Many efforts have been made previously in the prior art to fabricatecanes of a similar nature which would enable people who areincapacitated by paralysis or arthritic conditions or the like and whostill have the use of their fingers to assist themselves by the usethereof in the picking up and handling of objects necessary for theirimmediate needs. But while these canes of the prior art are using andhave employed pickup mechanisms utilizing complex gearing or linkagearrangements of a varied nature for control of a pickup fingerassociated therewith, each such arrangement has been inadequate and hasbeen subject to mechanical deficiencies of a nature that no one of themhas been truly successful or even sufficiently operative through a wideenough range of application to warrant its general adoption.

The present subject invention presents a lightweight utility cane whichis practical in that the novelly improved pickup mechanism incorporatedtherein is positive acting and easily operable by a minimum fingercontrol. Moreover, this pickup mechanism provided is the first to betruly successful. The improved cane is the first to have a positivecapacity to tightly grasp and support objects with equal case even whenthey are of substantial Weight or minimum substance. This enables thehandicapped person using the cane to no longer require the constantattention usually necessary to meet his immediate needs, such as pickingup articles dropped or reaching for a pencil, paper, telephone book orthe like. The positive grasping action eifected by the smooth, easyworking, simplified grasping or pickup mechanism provided in theimproved cane constituting the subject invention results in a practicaladvance in the art meriting wide recognition.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved, highlysimplified utility cane for handicapped persons which incorporates apositively acting and easily operable pickup mechanism therein thatenables a positive grasp and support of objects so grasped whether theyhave the most minimum of substance or the most substantial weight.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel utility cane forhandicapped persons with a simplified and improved directly operablepickup finger incorporated therein which is so formed and so located andso directly 2,836,188 Patented May 27, 1958 controlled that an objectmay be grasped thereby with complete confidence and ease of control,regardless of the size, shape or form of the object so grasped.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become readilyapparent to those versed in the art from the following detaileddescription of a practical embodiment thereof, particularly when takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal view of the novel hollow utility cane shownpartially in section to reveal the details of the operating componentsthereof.

Fig. 2 is an upper view of the bearing unit employed in the novel canewhich aids in the sure positive action of the pickup control mechanismincorporated therein.

Fig. 3 shows a side view of the bearing unit shown in Fig. 2.

The invention can best be described with reference to the practicalembodiment thereof illustrated in the drawings. Noting Fig. 1 thereof,the body 1 of the cane is shown to be of a hollow tubular nature and ispreferably fabricated of aluminum or plastic material with the upper orhandle end thereof bent into crook form. The extremity of the crookportion is closed by a plug 2. In the inner surface of the body 1adjacent the crock portion thereof is an elongated slot 3 through whichextends the operating end of a trigger arm 4 housed within the hollowtubular body 1. This arm 4 is preferably made of steel rod. The outerextending end of the rod or trigger arm 4 is at substantially rightangles thereto and has an operating member 5 fixed thereto which has atrigger shape to easily accommodate the end of a finger of the personusing the cane. The member 5 is fixed to the arm 4 by a pin. Asubstantially cylindrical bearing member 6 is fixed in the body 1 spacedfrom the lower end thereof. The bearing 6 has a longitudinally extendingkeyway or groove 7 in the outer surface thereof in which the lowerextremity of the trigger arm 4 bears for movement longitudinally thereofbetween the bearing surface and the surface of the inner wall of thehousing provided by body 1, as seen in Fig. 1 of the drawings. A pin 8is threadedly and adjustably secured in one end of the bearing 6adjacent the upwardly extending portion of the arm 4. A hook member 9 iswelded to the arm 4 on the same side thereof as its outwardly extendingportion and in a direction generally in the plane of and towards the pin8 in the bearing 6, but substantially spaced therefrom. A spring 10connects the hook member 9 and the pin 8 to normally bias the arm 4downwardly and the operating member 5 thereof into engagement with thelower end of the slot 3 adjacent the crook portion of the body 1. Thelower end of the trigger arm 4 has secured thereto by a pin 11 a rackmember 12 arranged in longitudinally extending axial alignmenttherewith. The rack 12 thus normally bears in part in the groove 7longitudinally of the bearing 6 along with the lower end of the triggerarm 4 and extends beyond the lower end of the bearing 6 to a pointnormally adjacent the lower end of the cane body 1. A graduated slopedgroove 13 is provided in the body of the bearing 6 on the side thereofdirectly opposite the way or groove 7 therein. A pin 14 is providedtransversely of the bearing 6 adjacent the lower end thereof andarranged to be located closely adjacent the central longitudinal axis ofthe bearing and the body 1. The pin 14 pivotally mounts a gear 15thereon in meshing engagement with the rack 12 at all times. The gear 15has a substantially rectangular portion thereof removed therefrom at itsperiphery in place of which is secured the inner end of a gently slopingfinger member 16. The finger member 16 extends in the plane of the gear15 and normally rests in its inoperative position in the sloped groove13 in the bearing 6. A slot V ticularly with reference to the drawings.

i7 is provided a the win of the body i in' Hana the sloped groove 13 andextending to a'point adjacent the lower end of the body l past thefinger 16 and clear of'the gear 15. This slot 17 is preferably alignedwith 'the slot 3 in the body 1. An aluminum plug member 18 is insertedthe lower end of the tubular body 1 and fixed therein; The rack 12normally is inimrnediately adjacent relation to the plug 18 when in itsnormal unoperated condition. A rubber cup '19 frictionally mounts "onthe plug member 18 to alford a protective cane tip finger .is engagedcomfortably and easily in the trigger shaped operating member 5. An easypressure of the finger against the member draws the trigger arm 4upwardly of the cane body]. against the bias of the spring connecting itto the bearing 6. Since the lower end of the arm 4 bears snugly betweenthe bearing 6 and the inner wall of the body 1 and since the integrallyconnected end of the rack 12 is also in the same ideal bearingcondition, the operation of the trigger arm 4 and rack 12 is as a singlesecurely bearing unit to give full mechanical efiiciency of movement andoperation thereto.

Also, since there is a direct continuous positive mesh between the rackand the gear which is formed to be an integral part of the finger 16,the smooth positive operation of the rod and rack is efiected as oneengagement with the cooperating cup member 18in a grasping action. Thefact that the pivot pin 14 for the gear 15 is adjacent the central axisof the hollow body 1 shortens the travel of the finger and gives a morepositive and snappier grasping action thereto. Moreover, in accordancewith the invention embodiment, the pickup finger 16 is provided with anapproximately 45 degree slope'at its outer extremity, which slope it hasbeen discovered provides an additional pick up efficiency to the canewhich assists in efliecting the substantial capabilities provided by theinvention apparatus. Andthis benefit results particularly as employed inconjunction with the highly simplified and improved operating mechanismfor and positioning of the finger element 16. Accordingly, asconstructed in accordance with the invention, the cane provided hereinmay be used to pickup as little substance as a sheet of paper by placingthe tip of the cane on the paper adjacent one edge thereof and by easilyoperating the finger member 5, due to the angle on the pickup finger 16and the smooth positive action effected thereto, the pickup finger 16easily clips the-sheet of paper to the cup element 19 and the cane maybe drawn to'the'user to easily remove the paper by release of thetrigger element. can be and has been employed to lift a telephone bookor a pencil andthis, as all versed in the art willreco'gnize, gives aflexibility and range of applicationto the cane which provides adistinct advance in the art of as- 7' continuous motion and translatedthusly through the gear said opening and provide trigger means thereon,theother end of said rod having a rack'member pinned Just as efiicientlythe novel. cane I costs generally incidental to the use of theinefiicient dew'ces of the prior art which are directed tothe sameapplication. 7 V

While a single embodiment and application of the V invention has beenpresented herein, many other modi fications and applications oftheinvention will be readily apparent therefor to those versed in the artand such are considered to'be within the forth herein.

I claim: r

a l. A utility cane for handicapped persons comprising,

ing spaced from the lower end thereof, a trigger arm extendinglongitudinally within the housing and having means at the upper endthereof extending outwardly of the housing through said slot, a' groovein the surface of said bearing, said arm bearing in saidv groove betweensaid bearing and the inner surface of said housing wall,

a spring member connecting said arm and said bearing and normallybiasing said arm towards the lower end of said housing means, a rackmember integrally connected to said trigger arm forming an extensionthereof,

a gear pivotally connected to said bearing in a bifurcation adjacent thelower end thereof and having the pivot axisythereof in closely'adjacentrelation to the central longitudinal axis of said housing means, apickup finger extending from said gear in the plane thereof, a groovemeansof a sloped nature in the surface of said bearing at a positionopposite the first mentioned groove, said finger normally nesting insaid sloped groove, said gear being in continuous mesh with said rack,and slip resistant means on the lower end of said housing means forcooperation with said fingerwhereby on actuation of said trigger arm bya smooth easy engagement of its outwardly extending means, the motionapplied thereto against the spring bias thereonis directly translatedthrough said gearto rotate said finger throughan arc of approximatelydegrees to elfect a sure quickcfiicient grasping means thereby inconjunction with said slip resistant means to grasp and effect apositive supportof objects whether of minimum substance or ofsubstantial V substance.

2. A utility cane for handicapped person s comprising a hollowcylindrical housing including a handle portion angularly related theretoat the up er end thereof, said within said housing having one end bentto. project through thereto formingan axial extension thereof andnormally engaging to the lower extremity of said housing, an opening inthe wall of said housing adjacent the lower extremity thereof, a bearingfor said rod and connected rack containing them to the inner wall ofsaid housing, a pick-up arm pivoted to' the lower extremity of saidhearing within said lower opening in said housing and geared to saidrack, a spring connecting said rod and said bearing and normally biasingsaid rod. and rack to the lower extremity of said housing to normallydispose said arm in a vertically open position whereby on direct linemovement of said rod said pick-up arm will be snapped to 2. dependingclosing position.

3. A utility cane for handicapped persons comprising a hollowcylindrical housing including a handleportion angularly related theretoat the upper end thereof, said housing having an opening adjacent to andspaced from said handle portion, a unitary rod extending longitudinallywithin said housing'having one end bent to project through said openingand provide trigger means thereon/the other normally biasing said rodand rack to the lower extremity scope ofthe invention asset of saidhousing to normally dispose said arm in a vertically open positionwhereby on direct line movement or" said rod said pick-up arm will besnapped to a depending closing position, and a rubber cover means on thelower extremity of said housing for a frictional co-operation with saidpick-up arm, said arm being mounted for pivotal movement relative saidbearing through an arc of ap proximately 150.

4. A utility cane for handicapped persons comprising a hollowcylindrical housing including a handle portion at the upper end thereof,said housing having an opening therein adjacent to and spaced from saidhandle portion, a unitary rod extending longitudinally within saidhousing having means at one end projecting through said opening toprovide trigger means thereby, the other end of said rod having a rackmember fixed thereto forming an axial extension thereof and normallyengaging to the lower extremity of said housing, an opening in the wallof said housing adjacent the lower extremity thereof, a bearing for saidrod and connected rack nesting said rod in one face thereof andcontaining it to the inner wall of said housing thereby, a pick-up armpivoted to the lower extremity of said bearing within a bifurcationthereof and operatively connected to said rack, a spring respectivelyconnected to said bearing at the end thereof opposite said arm and tosaid rod to normally bias said rod to the lower extremity of saidhousing, a channel in the opposite face of said bearing relative the rodnesting face, and said arm being normally disposed vertically withinsaid channel, whereby on actuation of said rod in direct line movementsaid arm will snap to its extending closing or engaging position.

5. A utility cane for handicapped persons comprising a hollowcylindrical housing including a handle at the upper end thereof, saidhousing having an opening adjacent to and spaced from said handle, aunitary rod structure extending longitudinally within said housing tohave one end projecting through said opening and the other end have adriving means pinned thereto forming an axial extension thereof,normally reaching to the lower extremity of said housing, an opening inthe wall of said housing adjacent the lower extremity thereof, a bearingfor said rod and connected driving means nesting and containing them tothe inner wall of said housing, a pick-up arm pivoted to the lowerextremity of said bearing within a bifurcation for guided pivotingrelative thereto, gear means connecting said arm to said driving means,said arm being disposed thereby in a vertical open position whereby ondirect line movement of said rod said arm will be moved to a closing andengaging position relative the lower extremity of said housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,050,124 Greeno Jan. 14, 1913 1,905,076 Van Sciver Apr. 25, 19332,346,038 Mason Apr. 4, 1944

